Improvement in scythe-fastenings



rn'rES PATENT iIVi PROVEMENT IN SCYTHE-FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,409, dated August27, 1878; application filed July 5, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT WELLINGTON FLANDERS, of North Grantham, inthe county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented a newand Improved Scythe- Fastening, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention is to furnish a means for fastening a Scytheto the snath which will not require the use of a wrench in fastening theScythe or removing it, and will make a firm and reliable connection;also, to construct the fastening' in Such form that it may be attachedto the snath without requiring the snath to be bored or mortised.

My invention consists in a Socket or ring for the end of the Snath,formed with a crossinortise to receive the shank of the Scythe. ThereVare teeth on the inside of the mortise, which engage with correspondingteeth on the scythe-shank, to hold the point of the Scythe in or out, asdesired. The shank of the Scythe is formed straight, without abend ortoe, which is usually employed.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is an elevation of a Scythe andsnath attached together. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the Same, lookingtoward the end of the Scythe-Shank. Fi g3 is a cross-Section at the linex w of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a perspective view of the snath-socket detached.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the Scythe-Shank, and Fig. 6 is asection of the end of a shank.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a is the snath, and b the socket or ring for the end of the snath. Thesocket bis formed of metal, with one side thereof rounding, and theopposite side flattened. At the iiat side of the socket b is a flatmortise, c, through the metal of the socket at right angles to thedirection in which the snath enters the socket. d are teeth orcorrugations upon the inside of the inortise o, adjacent to one of theouter ends thereof. The mortise c tapers in width, being wider at oneside of the socket b than at the other, for the purpose hereinafterdescribed, and the teeth d are at the widest end of the inortise.

The snath a is flattened on one side at the end, and the socket orfastening is secured upon the Snath by a Screw, e, passing into theSnath a through a hole in a Strap, f, formed with the Socket-ring b.(See Fig. 2.)

fis the Scythe-shank, which, instead of having a bent end, as usual, isstraight, aS seen in Fig. 5, and of a size to pass tightly into thenarrow end of the mortise c. The shank f may, however, be slightlytapering in width.

g are teeth or corrugations, formed by grooving the end of the shank f.These teeth correspond with t-he teeth d in the mortise c, so that whenthe shank is inserted into the inortise c the teeth d and g will meshtogether, as seen in Fig. 2.

The inortise c being wider at the end where the teeth d and g cometogether, the end of shank f may be moved more or less to one side orother as it is inserted, thereby throwing the point of the Scythe in orout. The teeth will engage and hold the Scythe at the desired place.

To prevent the Scythe working out endwise from the mortise c, I providea cam-button, 7L, which turns on a pin, i, at the side of the ring badjacent to the mortise c, and in Such position that when turned on itspin i the camedge of the button h will bear upon the Shank f upon theside opposite to the teeth g, and bind the parts togther. The ring b isflattened at the place where the button 71l is attached, so that the endof the shankf projects and permits the button h to bear upon it.

I have shown the cam-edge of the button 7L beveled to take into thedovetail groove 7c of the Shank f, thereby preventing end movement ofthe Scythe; but this groove 7c may be dispensed with, and the teeth dand g tapered instead, so that the cam h may lock them together. It isfurther evident that a wedge might be used in place of the cam-button h.

The fastening above described formsv a convenient and reliable means forthe attachment of a Scythe to the snath. It may be made and soldcheaply, and requires no tools to operate it. It also permits theScythes to be constructed in a manner that makes a saving to themanufacturer, for the reason that there is no bent end required upon theshank, and the bending of the ends is a Source of considerable loss onaccount of the cracking and breaking which occur during the bendingoperation.

EErcE.

I do not limit myself to the shape of the parts as shown and described,as the same may be varied Without departing` from my in- Yention.

Hoving thus described my invention, Iclaim astnew and desire to secureby Letters Poiten l. The socket or ring b, provided with ecross-niortise, c, and teeth or corrugations d, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combinationof the cmu-button 7L with the socket or ring b, havingteeth or corrugations d, and adapted to receive the toothed orcorrugated sha-uk of the Scythe, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

3. The scythe formed with zt straight shank, provided at its end Withteeth or corrugztt-ions g, substantially as set forth.

ALBERT WELLINGTON FLANDERS.

Witu esses NANCLE E. BURPEE, HIRAM L. BURPEE.

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